ISLAMABAD: Torrential monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan have claimed 502 lives and injured 593 people since mid-June, the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday, amid the prediction of more rains in August.
Pakistan has been hit by one of the most severe monsoon seasons this year, with downpours triggering flash floods in the country’s southern, southwestern and northwestern parts.
The death toll jumped to 502 on Tuesday after another 24 people lost their lives in different rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours, according to the NDMA.
“Rains have killed 502 and injured 593 others in Pakistan since June 14,” an NDMA spokesperson said in the daily situation report on Tuesday.
“Of these 149 have died in Balochistan, 97 lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 114 have been killed by rains in Punjab, 111 died in rain-related incidents in Sindh, 8 killed by rains in Gilgit-Baltistan, 9 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one in Islamabad.”
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted more “above-normal” rains in most parts of the country this month.
“Northeastern Punjab, Kashmir, southern parts of Sindh as well as coastal areas of Balochistan are expected to receive above normal rainfall during the forecast month,” it said on Tuesday.
“Most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan may receive slightly above normal, whereas Gilgit-Baltistan may receive nearly normal rainfall during August.”
Heavy rains have damaged 39,343 houses and 2,516 kilometers of road infrastructure across the country. The southwestern Balochistan province is worst-affected by the downpours.